Daily Readings for Friday 20th October 2023

Prayer
-Give thanks to God for many good things we enjoy and daily blessings.
-Pray the Lord would supply the needs of those in the congregation at Westminster and guide us as we help those destitute and suffering. Especially those we have met in the pandemic. (Numbers 6.24-26.)

Church Services
Sermons
Sunday morning at 11:00am in church (also available online via Facebook)
Sunday evening at 6:30pm in church (also available online via Facebook)
Bible study and prayer
Wednesday evening at 7:00pm in church (also available online via Facebook)
Lunch hour service
Thursday afternoon between 1:00pm and 1:30pm in church (also available online via Facebook)
Outreach/Witnessing
Saturday morning at Victoria Street (outside the big Boots store) for 10:30am (across the road from Town Hall - No. 64). Afterwards we go back to church for prayer.

Daily Reading
Preface - Moab rebelleth. Ahaziah's messengers, sent to enquire concerning the event of his sickness of Baal-zebub, are turned back by Elijah, with a sentence of death from the Lord. Ahaziah, apprised of the cause of their quick return, sendeth to apprehend Elijah, who twice calleth down fire from heaven upon those that come against him. Moved by the humble suit of the third captain, and encouraged by an angel, he goeth to the king, and assureth him of his approaching death. Ahaziah dieth, and is succeeded by Jehoram.
2 Kings 1
Preface - The salutation. Paul certifieth the Thessalonians of the good opinion which he had of their faith, love and patience; of the righteous judgment of God in punishing their enemies, and recompensing their sufferings; and of his prayers that God would fulfil his gracious purpose in them.
2 Thessalonians 1

Daily Light - Morning
I delight in the law of God
after the inward man.

O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. - Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart. - I sat down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste. - I have esteemed the words o this mouth more than my necessary food.

I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. - My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes... More to be desire are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. - Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass.
Ro. 7.22; Ps. 119.97; Jer. 15.16; Song 2.3; Job 23.12;
Ps. 40.8; Jn. 4.34
Ps. 19.8,10; Jas. 1.22-23

Daily Light - Morning
The LORD thy God accept thee.

Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God.

We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags. - There is none righteous, no, not one... For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood... To declare...at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Accepted in the beloved. - Ye are completer in him.
2 Sa. 24.23; Mi. 6.6-8
Isa. 64.6; Ro. 3.10,23-25,26
Eph. 1.6; Col. 2.10

A Puritans Catechism
Q30 - What is effectual calling?
A - Effectual calling is the work of God's Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our sills, he does persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ freely offered to us in the gospel.

Robert Murray M'Cheyne - God Makes A Path - Daily Devotional Readings
The sinner's friend
In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. - Isaiah 63 v 9
Dear friend, do you feel that Jesus is your Surety and Elder Brother? Then remember that, by reason of His real Divinity, He is now by your bedside, afflicted in all your afflictions, touched with a feeling of your infirmities, and able to save you to the uttermost. He is as really beside you as He was beside Mary when she sat at His fee. Tell Him all your sorrows, all your doubts and anxieties. He has a willing ear. Oh, what a friend is Jesus! the sinner's friend. What an open ear He has for all the wants, doubts, difficulties of His dying disciples. You know how it is with a kind mother, even though a worldly person. In a time of sanger she clasps her children to her breast. In a time of health she may often let them wander out of her sight, but in hours of sickness she will watch beside their bed. Much more will Jesus watch over you.